Birtalan Ágnes: Kalmyk Folklore and Folk Culture in the Mid-19th Century: Philological Studies on the Basis of Gábor Bálint of Szentkatolna’s Kalmyk Texts.

KALMYK VERNACULAR AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE

ELEVENTH CHAPTER (Bálint Árban negedükci nom, Kalm. arwn negdgc nom)

u

2 [6] [Someone] is knocking, please open the door. Who is there? Please come in! To whom will you talk? Whom do you need? Is Gharä"' here? Well, actually he is not at home. At what time may I see him? At nine o'clock in the morning, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Thank you very much. I will come at nine o'clock. Couldn't you leave your address? Get it (take it), because this Gharä doesn't know me. Live well and come back at eleven o'clock tomorrow. TWELFTH CHAPTER (Bálint Arban xoyurdukci [nom]

, Kalm. arwn xoirdyc [nom

7)

11

1 Our holydays start in the sheep month."

5 Do you like it?

1

1" I am really happy. Where are you during the holidays? I think that my father will take me to his land. I like it, because I wish to see the countryside.

1

1 Are you able to talk in Russian? I am able. After coming back from holydays I hope to learn Russian diligently. How long is your holyday? It is approximately two and a half month."

8 Who is your father? He is a Kalmyk from Zünyar division."

9 Have you got a horse? My father has got three stallions. Who pastures them? My uncle and my elder brother. Well, it will be very amusing for you in the holydays. Why? Because you will amuse yourself on your own horse. [7] Well, that is true, 1 like to amuse myself on saddled horse. THIRTEENTH CHAPTER (Bálint Arban yurbudukci nom, Kalm. arwn yurwdgc nom)

u

o My father has sent me to tell you to come with us tomorrow. When do you leave? Early in the morning, in order to come back at six in the evening. What do you plan to ride on?

12

1 On saddled horses and a few [of us] on camelback. I will ask my mother. Mother, will you let me go with Naran to Yandagha?

12

2 When? For what reason? In order to amuse myself tomorrow early in the morning. Go, but do not fall from horseback. Thank you, mother. Well, I am able to ride on a horse. You please go [first] and we will follow you. I will be ready today. Well, what do you think about Yandagha's garden?

1

2' Beautiful, we amused ourselves there a lot. We went to the woods

12

4 and ate our meal on the grass. Well, and then went into a yurt and drank milk tea. Did you have fun FOURTEENTH CHAPTER (Bálint Arban dörbödükci nom, Kalm. arwn dörwdgc nom)

u~ Although I [have been promised] to come to your home for a long time, 1 was always hindered by obstacles. I was told that you were ill; I believed it and came to see you.

12

6 [8] Please forgive me that I "

2 Manuscript p. 6. 11

1 Bálint Tara is proper name, according to Bord?.anova it is still in use among the Kalmyks. 11

4 Manuscript pp. 6-7. 11

5 Bálint xon 'in sar, Kalm. xön sar "mesjac maj (vos'moj mesjac dvenadcatiletnego iivotnogo cikla)" (Mun. 603). 11

6 Bálint Tündü xanan-ta? 11

7 Bálint yazä yazr. 11

8 Bálint xoyur sara dundur saxu. 11

9 Bálint Zün-yaran ginxalimik. probably an allusion on the ethnic group in Ik-coxr uls. 121

1 Manuscript p. 7. 12

1 Bálint

yüyär yaboji, lit. "by which means". 12

2 Bálint Yandayadu. cf. the footnote below. 12

4 Bálint Yandaya bakci. Toponym Yandvky in Astrakhan district. 12

4 Bálint tarimar (tarimäl) modondu. 12

5 Manuscript p. 7-8. 30